Apparatus for preventing railway accidents.



H. L. LOGKART.

APPARATUS POR PREVBNTING RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

APPLICATION FILI-'11) 0GT.16, 1913.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Him.mmh.

HAVAR-D L. LOCKART, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application led October 16, 1913. Serial No.l 795,400.

T0 all 'whom it may concern .Be it known that I, HAVARD L. LOCKART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Railway Accidents, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for preventing railway accidents, the object of the invention being to provide improved electric controlling mechanism for operating a tripping arm, so that the latter will be moved into position to stop the train entering a block occupied by another train.

A further object is to improve upon the construction illustrated in my Patent No. 1,090,998 granted March 24, 1914.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

lIn the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in cross section through a track showing a locomotive and tender. in end elevation and illustrating the same approaching my improved operating device which is shown in position to stop the train. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the locomotive cab with my improved attachment thereon. Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section on an enlarged scale illustrating the dashpot 17, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the electro-magnet 8.

1 represents the rails of a track, and 2 an ordinary locomotive with its tender 3 mounted to run on the track.

On the locomotive cab, I provide a cam lever 4 controlling the position of an arm 5, the latter controlling the operation of an air valve 6 to stop the train as clearly set forth in my application above referred to. The cam lever 4 is adapted to strike my improved tripping lever 7 as shown clearly in Fig. 1, when the latter is in its lowered po- ,sition indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 to which position it is caused to move by an electro-magnet 8 as will be explained.

9 represents a signal standard havin'g three brackets 10, 11, and 12 respectively secured thereto, the upper brackets 10 and 11 support signals A and B respectively which are illustrated as banjo signals, but of shorter end is connected to an armature 14 which moves longitudinally in an electromagnet 8 supported on bracket 12. The upper end of the armature 14 connects to a plunger 16 within a dashpot 17 so that the movement of the tripping lever is controlled thereby and j ar and shock prevented.

The normal position of the tripping lever is elevated as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in which position it is held by the magnet 8. This magnet 8 operates in unison with the upper signal A. In other words, when the upper signal A is at danger, the circuit controlling magnet 8 is open, so that the magnet ceases to hold the tripping lever and the latter falls to operative position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1.

I provide a push button 18 which may 'close the circuit to the magnet 8, so as to elevate the arm 7 and permit a train to pass onto the block. This is frequently desirable, but in order to prevent accidents, it would be necessary for the trainman to leave his train and operate the tripping lever so that a train cannot accidentally run onto the block occupied by lanother train. The entrance of a train on a block immediately opens the electric circuit, which causes the upper signal A to show danger, and which permits the tripping lever 7 to fall to operative position, so that until this train leaves the block, no other train can enter without being automatically stopped.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a support, of a tripping lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the said support, an electro-magnet adjacent one end of said lever, a dash pot adjacent the same said end and opposite said electro-magnet, the armature of said electro-magnet being extended to project Within said dash pot, 'and being connected intermediate its ends to lsaid lever end, and a plunger Within said dash pot and connected to said armature, substantially as described.

2. The combination With a support, of 'a tripping lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on 'said `support and being heavier at one end than at the other 'to 'normally llie in horizontal position, an electromagnet adjacent the lighter end of said lever, a dash pot adjacent the same end and ture, substantially as described.

ln testimony Twhereof I have signed my v name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HAVARD L. LOCKBST. l/Vitnesses:

YL. P. MOYER,

CHARLES E. Po'r'rs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, 'by 'addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washingtom. E. 

